Qu Fei's eyes were dark and gloomy. "Gefeng is only so big. Where did the Jinyang Army get so many troops?"
Qu Mu shook his head. "They don't have many people, a few hundred at most. I just don't know how a mere few hundred managed to surround this entire massive mountain."
This was what he couldn't figure out. Earlier, he had clearly estimated their approximate numbers based on the density of the arrows being fired.
He had then chosen a weak point to break through, but when he actually made the attempt, he found that the enemy forces in that direction had suddenly increased, catching them completely off guard.
At first, he thought it was a coincidence, but after a few times, he finally realized it wasn't!
It was their tactic!
But what kind of tactic was this, to be so flexible, variable, and quick to react?
If Jiang Jin knew what he was thinking, she would definitely give him a thumbs up. He was indeed smart to see through the essence of the matter so quickly.
One must know that the three-three tactic could stretch a single platoon into an 800-meter offensive and defensive line.
This tactic was not very suitable for human wave attacks, but it was extremely well-suited for guerrilla warfare and jungle combat, allowing for rapid adjustments to the line of attack and defense.
This was also why Qu Fei and the others clearly felt the attacks were weak on one side, yet faced dense fire the moment they tried to break through there.
Jiang Jin currently had two hundred special forces soldiers on hand, along with the Dragon Feather Crossbows, which were comparable to rifles.
Coupled with their familiarity with the terrain and the traps they had set beforehand, two hundred men fighting two thousand of the enemy was completely stress-free.
Qu Fei only felt stifled; he had never fought such a frustrating battle.
Up until now, he hadn't even seen the shadows of many enemies.
Yet the opponents were like ghosts. No matter how they counterattacked or tried to break out, they would be beaten back with the utmost speed.
They were like turtles in a jar, trapped in this dense mountain forest.
He roared, "Everyone scatter and break out! As long as you get out, go back and call for reinforcements."
He didn't dare gather his men together. The enemy's repeating crossbows were simply too formidable; grouping up would just make them sitting ducks.
Right now, he only prayed they could break out.
Just as Qu Fei finished shouting, a few more screams rang out not far away.
Qu Mu's eyes revealed unwillingness and sorrow. He whispered, "You break out. With your strength, it definitely won't be a problem."
Qu Fei shook his head. "No, I can't abandon my soldiers and flee for my life alone."
Qu Mu was so angry he could almost spit blood. At a time like this, he was still acting on impulse.
He tried hard to calm his emotions and urged, "I'm not telling you to flee alone. You can see the situation now.
"We simply cannot break out. We can only rely on you to carve out a bloody path. Once you're out, immediately go back and bring reinforcements."
Whether out of anger or frustration, Qu Fei's chest heaved continuously. After a long while, he finally made up his mind, his voice squeezing through his teeth. "Fine."
Spotting an opportunity, he quickly ran toward the exit, followed by dozens of Quzhao soldiers assisting his breakout.
Swish, swish, swish...
Immediately, several soldiers were hit by arrows and fell to the ground.
Qu Fei slashed away the sharp arrows shot at him and roared, "If you have the guts, come out and fight me fairly! Are you Han thieves only capable of such sneaky deeds?"
Swish, swish, swish...
The response he received was more speeding arrows. The two soldiers guarding his left and right were shot dead.
Two more soldiers immediately filled the gap, protecting him as he continued running toward the exit.
Qu Fei nearly crushed his back teeth. It was his first time encountering an enemy who remained completely unmoved no matter what you said or cursed, even taking the opportunity to shoot a few more arrows at you.
Knowing that saying more was useless, he couldn't help but speed up, running madly under the protection of his soldiers.
He felt like a long time had passed, so long that the soldiers beside him grew fewer and fewer until he was the only one left.
He finally saw the corpses, the bodies of the soldiers who had died there yesterday, which he had seen when entering that morning.
He made it out?!
Qu Fei let out a massive sigh of relief, followed by wild joy. He had finally made it out!
He looked back at the dense forest that resembled a monster, from which the screams of Quzhao soldiers continuously echoed.
Filled with grief and indignation, Qu Fei's eyes brimmed with murderous intent. He glared fiercely at the dense forest, as if to firmly engrave this place in his memory.
He let out a light breath and turned to leave, only to see a beautiful woman standing in front of him.
Qu Fei's pupils abruptly shrank, and his entire body went numb.
When did this woman appear here?
He hadn't noticed her at all!
He couldn't help but observe his surroundings, trying to find the Jinyang Army lurking nearby, but he realized that aside from the two of them, there was no one else around.
Jiang Jin raised her eyes to look at him, her voice flat and emotionless. "Since you are here, do not leave."
Confirming there were no Jinyang soldiers lying in ambush, Qu Fei steadied his heart. "Who are you? State your name. I do not kill nameless nobodies."
He didn't recognize Jiang Jin. Due to the Heavenly Punishment, their Quzhao Army hadn't dared to get too close to Gefeng City.
So even though Jiang Jin had once stood on the city tower, he only knew that the Jinyang Army had women, but he couldn't see their exact appearances at all.
Jiang Jin twitched the corner of her mouth. "A pity. The dead do not deserve to know my name."
Before her voice faded, she was already charging at Qu Fei with her blade.
Qu Fei's anger boiled over. Since when did a woman dare to look down on him? She was truly courting death!
Clang.
The sound of colliding metal rang out.
A notch appeared on his blade.
Qu Fei was horrified. One must know that his sword had been forged repeatedly and was incredibly tough. It had accompanied him for over a decade and cut down countless enemies, yet this was the first time it had chipped.
Before he could think it through, Jiang Jin's second strike slashed down, as if carrying the weight of a thousand pounds.
Clang.
Crack.
In a flash of lightning, Qu Fei's longsword was chopped straight in half. The broken end whistled through the air and struck a large tree over ten meters away with a thud.
Qu Fei's pupils contracted, and his mind went blank for a moment. His blade was broken!
In the split second he was distracted, Jiang Jin's blade slashed toward his neck.
Qu Fei instinctively retreated backward.
However, it was too fast, and he couldn't entirely evade it.
Spurt, blood sprayed out.
He only felt a coldness on his neck. Red spread before his eyes, and even the woman in front of him turned red.
He wanted to swing his sword, he wanted to kill the woman before him, but he found that his body was no longer under his control.
Thud.
Jiang Jin watched Qu Fei collapse with a thud, watched the blood gushing from his half-severed neck, and watched his body twitch incessantly.
Only when he was completely motionless did she turn and leave.
On the official road, a group of refugees in ragged clothes trudged along with difficulty. Their eyes were numb, revealing despair.
These refugees were the villagers of Donghu Commandery, whose houses had collapsed under the heavy snow during the winter.
The Village Chief stopped, panting heavily. Looking at the seemingly endless road ahead, he tightened his grip on the wooden stick serving as his cane, feeling sorrowful in his heart.
This time, he feared their entire village was going to be wiped out.
They had successively passed by five county towns, but not a single one would open its gates for them, even if they were willing to enter the city as slaves.
Two of the counties even fired arrows at them, and several villagers had been shot dead on the spot.
They had survived the harsh winter and natural disasters, yet they couldn't survive the sharp arrows of the Quzhao people.
The world was so difficult; they, as ordinary commoners, just wanted to live.
Such a simple wish, yet despite trying with all their might, they could not achieve it.
A man came to his side, untied the knapsack from his back, and carried it in his own hand.
His thoughts returned, and he turned to look at his son. His son was carrying a large knapsack on his back and holding the one just untied from him in his hand.
Whether from the cold or from hunger, his voice was breathless and trembling: "Father, how about we find a place to rest for a bit?"
